Cook Islands team

Press, 27 November 1979, Page 32

Cook Islands team

For the first time, a team of nine athletes from the Cook Islands will compete in the Mount Cook Airlines New Zealand secondary school track and field championships at Queen Elizabeth II Park next Saturday and Sunday. The team, representing secondary schools in the Cook Islands, consists of three boys and six girls. They will arrive in Christchurch on Friday and, after the championships, will stay (for a week and take advantage of the expert coaching available.

One of the girls, Toka Areai, aged 17, has shown great potential as a distance runner. She has run a marathon in 3hr 24min, has completed a 4km road race in

15min 28s, and run a 1500 m in smin 12s. Muri Ngaro, aged 17, one of the three boys, has also shown promise as a marathon runner. He has completed the full distance in 2hr 42min 445. The other two boys are Nicky Lewis, a track walker, and Apii Taramai, who runs anything from 800 m to Bkm. He has a best time for 800 m of 2min 4s and a best time for Bkm of 26min 565.

Four of the six girls are expected to compete in the road race. They are Areai, Rennie Rere, Akakormaki Matepi, and Fenny Manavaroa. The others are Mamanoora Aueo Vai, who specialises in the 800 m and 1500 m, and Ma ta po Atingakau, who is a walker.